I have to get dressed before I can start writing -- or anything else, for that matter. I can only stay in my bathrobe if I'm sick. Unlike Linda, who can lounge all day in her jammies.
"It's comfortable," she says.
"Too comfortable," I says.
Anyway, I've been sitting down around noon, after doodling with the intertubes for hours, reading the paper, drinking my coffee.
The two little tricks I'm using seem to work. The idea that if I sit down for 5 minutes doing anything that I'll probably continue, and the rewriting of chapters at random.
Each chapter seems wildly different in what they need -- some I can't figure much else to do, except tighten the language up. Others need to be reorganized -- at this point, moving paragraphs or sentences around. Others new information can be added, and old information cut.
I'm bound and determined to get this rewrite under my belt while the whole book is still in my mind.
For instance, I described one character in one chapter, and the next chapter I work on, I had described him completely differently. That sort of thing.
Well, this blog is a bit of procrastination, frankly.
Better get to work. (I wish I didn't see it as work -- why do other people seem to like rewriting and I find it tiresome?)
Monday, November 5, 2012
One more day.
I predict whichever side wins, the other side will say they stole it.
I predict Constitutional crisis, and protests in the streets.
I predict more states will do voting by mail, but not the states that are the problem.
I predict the stock market will do what the stock market will do, and whoever wins will take the blame or the credit.
I predict the economy will either go up or go down, and whoever wins will take the blame or the credit.
I predict a deadlocked Congress.
In other words, pretty much the same.
I predict Constitutional crisis, and protests in the streets.
I predict more states will do voting by mail, but not the states that are the problem.
I predict the stock market will do what the stock market will do, and whoever wins will take the blame or the credit.
I predict the economy will either go up or go down, and whoever wins will take the blame or the credit.
I predict a deadlocked Congress.
In other words, pretty much the same.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Rewarded for stupidity. Bank of the Cascades.
I don't have anything against Bank of the Cascades personally.
I just didn't like how they played the game. Trumpeting success when they were really setting themselves up for failure. That bugged me. Has bugged me since I first started writing this blog in November of 2006. (Hey -- six years!!!)
Because it was pretty clear the Emperor had no clothes. Over investing in commercial real estate during a bubble is a boneheaded thing to do; even if it makes you look good in the short run. Assets do not equal profits.
It also somewhat bugged me that it seemed like the management at the time got out with their reputation and finances intact. Maybe they didn't. I don't know. Give credit where it is due. Somehow, the current management of the bank has kept them alive -- which is impressive, considering how far off the road they wandered.
It has always bugged me when someone is doing short-sighted things and getting rewarded for it. I'm in business for the long haul. It's my career. I intend to see it through to the end.
So when I watch competitors go trotting by doing stupid things and have customers tell me how great the other guy is doing, I just shrug it off these days. I have to look at the internal dynamics and figure I'll come out the other side, no matter what happens to the other guy.
Hey, the other guy may just continue to overperform, because he's just so damn good and smart and hard working and lucky. Good for him.
But more likely, he'll trend back toward average, or whatever he was doing that was making him look so good wasn't real. Even worse, whatever he was doing that made him look like he was doing so well was actually a negative.
This goes for the big boys too. I think the big boxes are bound to collapse eventually. I think Amazon has a stupid business model -- and is hurting everyone else because of it.
Again, I go back to sports cards. I had tons of competitors succeed in taking my market share away, and it looked like they were doing great. I knew what they were doing wasn't possible. I mean, how long can you sell for under cost?
They are all gone. The industry is in tatters. Not only didn't do me any good, but it didn't do anyone any good to go for short term profits and market share, without using a lick of sense in building a viable business model.
But hey, as long as they look like everything is great, it's all good, right?
I just didn't like how they played the game. Trumpeting success when they were really setting themselves up for failure. That bugged me. Has bugged me since I first started writing this blog in November of 2006. (Hey -- six years!!!)
Because it was pretty clear the Emperor had no clothes. Over investing in commercial real estate during a bubble is a boneheaded thing to do; even if it makes you look good in the short run. Assets do not equal profits.
It also somewhat bugged me that it seemed like the management at the time got out with their reputation and finances intact. Maybe they didn't. I don't know. Give credit where it is due. Somehow, the current management of the bank has kept them alive -- which is impressive, considering how far off the road they wandered.
It has always bugged me when someone is doing short-sighted things and getting rewarded for it. I'm in business for the long haul. It's my career. I intend to see it through to the end.
So when I watch competitors go trotting by doing stupid things and have customers tell me how great the other guy is doing, I just shrug it off these days. I have to look at the internal dynamics and figure I'll come out the other side, no matter what happens to the other guy.
Hey, the other guy may just continue to overperform, because he's just so damn good and smart and hard working and lucky. Good for him.
But more likely, he'll trend back toward average, or whatever he was doing that was making him look so good wasn't real. Even worse, whatever he was doing that made him look like he was doing so well was actually a negative.
This goes for the big boys too. I think the big boxes are bound to collapse eventually. I think Amazon has a stupid business model -- and is hurting everyone else because of it.
Again, I go back to sports cards. I had tons of competitors succeed in taking my market share away, and it looked like they were doing great. I knew what they were doing wasn't possible. I mean, how long can you sell for under cost?
They are all gone. The industry is in tatters. Not only didn't do me any good, but it didn't do anyone any good to go for short term profits and market share, without using a lick of sense in building a viable business model.
But hey, as long as they look like everything is great, it's all good, right?
I've had re-writer's block.
I've had several people tell me -- Writing is Rewriting.
O.K. Whatever.
Two things are for sure.
1.) that rewriting definitely makes the books better.
2.) that rewriting is hard. I get some satisfaction for finding the right word, the right phrasing. But mostly it seems like work.
I just can't seem to motivate myself systematically. I look at the manuscript and it seems so big, that the idea of starting on page one and slogging through to the end seems like pure drudgery.
So Linda says to me, "Does that mean you find your story boring?"
"No. I'm trying to keep it from becoming so -- "
I've been blocked on re-writing for about four days now.
So yesterday, I think I came up with two tricks that work.
1.) rewrite chapters at random, instead of tackling the whole monolithic edifice.
2.) remember that if I can just spend five minutes on something, chances are that I'll continue doing it.
In the scheme of things, doing a chapter a day or two chapters a day isn't going to take all that long; and I just need to keep reminding myself how much better the writing gets when the work is put in.
So I tried my new strategies yesterday, and they seemed to be effective. The following was how I went through the process:
One thing I'm trying to preserve is my "reading" freshness of the book. Going to the same page and rewriting again and again is O.K. But reading it over and over, isn't.
Doesn't make much sense, I know.
I was talking to Linda this morning, and I said, "You hate it when I change things so much."
"No, I don't mind when you change things, I just hate when you leave branches hanging out there without lopping them off."
That completely crystallized where I am in the process. The going through and removing all the inconsistencies absolutely bores the hell out of me -- but I know it needs to be done.
I've decided on a new tactic.
I don't know if it will work.
I'm going to take a piece of paper and cut it up into 39 pieces for the 39 chapters. Put them all in a jar and mix them up. Then reach in and pick a chapter at random and work on that chapter. When I'm done, reach in for the next chapter.
When I've done all 39 chapters, THEN give myself a chance to read it all the way through without interruptions and see how it reads.
I have about 20 working days left in this month, so if I do two chapters per day, I'll get a rewrite under my belt in about one month. Or if I need to keep my freshness up, I can do one chapter per day, and it will take a couple months -- which really isn't all that long.
So, in this rewriting I'm going to try to:
1.) Look for inconsistencies.
2.) Make sure the tone fits its place in the book. Look for ways to ramp up the tension from the previous chapter.
3.) Look for characterizations -- looks and mannerisms and phrasing. Visualize each character. (Use real life people I know?)
4.) Look to use active language.
5.) Look to add the telling details wherever possible.
6.) Look for more artistic ways of saying things. Instead of "the light came through the window" say "the crisp morning light slanted through the window" something like that.
I just made that up out of nothing, but you get what I mean... It could just as easily been, "the soft morning glow suffused the room" or "the crisp light slanted like a knife through the dirty panes" or whatever. That's the artistic choice.
7.) Description: sight, sound, touch, smell.
Anyway, that's the checklist I'm starting with...
I put the 39 numbers on folded paper in a jar and pulled.....#25.
So I'm off to see what chapter 25 is...
It's noon.
O.K. That was cool. It took two and a half hours to run through the first time, with a half hour of breaks.
I'm going to go through the chapter a second time.
Spent another hour and a half. 4 hours in total. The increase for the whole chapter was over 1000 words! Wow. Extend that over 39 chapters, and the book gets bigger fast.
I'm thinking I may try another chapter tonight, now that I've gotten a sense of it. But I want to be sure I'm refreshed, first.
Gave myself a couple hours off, then pulled a new number. #13.
Difficult chapter. The writing was all wrong -- passive and retro. Tried to activate it, move stuff around, cut some things. Works better probably.
Going to give it another pass.
I'm thinking of snoggling some beer tonight. See how that affects the rewriting process.
Worked another hour and a half. I think the chapter is much improved.
I do believe my little trick of working on chapters on a lottery basis is going to work.
It has to be done.
O.K. Whatever.
Two things are for sure.
1.) that rewriting definitely makes the books better.
2.) that rewriting is hard. I get some satisfaction for finding the right word, the right phrasing. But mostly it seems like work.
I just can't seem to motivate myself systematically. I look at the manuscript and it seems so big, that the idea of starting on page one and slogging through to the end seems like pure drudgery.
So Linda says to me, "Does that mean you find your story boring?"
"No. I'm trying to keep it from becoming so -- "
I've been blocked on re-writing for about four days now.
So yesterday, I think I came up with two tricks that work.
1.) rewrite chapters at random, instead of tackling the whole monolithic edifice.
2.) remember that if I can just spend five minutes on something, chances are that I'll continue doing it.
In the scheme of things, doing a chapter a day or two chapters a day isn't going to take all that long; and I just need to keep reminding myself how much better the writing gets when the work is put in.
So I tried my new strategies yesterday, and they seemed to be effective. The following was how I went through the process:
One thing I'm trying to preserve is my "reading" freshness of the book. Going to the same page and rewriting again and again is O.K. But reading it over and over, isn't.
Doesn't make much sense, I know.
I was talking to Linda this morning, and I said, "You hate it when I change things so much."
"No, I don't mind when you change things, I just hate when you leave branches hanging out there without lopping them off."
That completely crystallized where I am in the process. The going through and removing all the inconsistencies absolutely bores the hell out of me -- but I know it needs to be done.
I've decided on a new tactic.
I don't know if it will work.
I'm going to take a piece of paper and cut it up into 39 pieces for the 39 chapters. Put them all in a jar and mix them up. Then reach in and pick a chapter at random and work on that chapter. When I'm done, reach in for the next chapter.
When I've done all 39 chapters, THEN give myself a chance to read it all the way through without interruptions and see how it reads.
I have about 20 working days left in this month, so if I do two chapters per day, I'll get a rewrite under my belt in about one month. Or if I need to keep my freshness up, I can do one chapter per day, and it will take a couple months -- which really isn't all that long.
So, in this rewriting I'm going to try to:
1.) Look for inconsistencies.
2.) Make sure the tone fits its place in the book. Look for ways to ramp up the tension from the previous chapter.
3.) Look for characterizations -- looks and mannerisms and phrasing. Visualize each character. (Use real life people I know?)
4.) Look to use active language.
5.) Look to add the telling details wherever possible.
6.) Look for more artistic ways of saying things. Instead of "the light came through the window" say "the crisp morning light slanted through the window" something like that.
I just made that up out of nothing, but you get what I mean... It could just as easily been, "the soft morning glow suffused the room" or "the crisp light slanted like a knife through the dirty panes" or whatever. That's the artistic choice.
7.) Description: sight, sound, touch, smell.
Anyway, that's the checklist I'm starting with...
I put the 39 numbers on folded paper in a jar and pulled.....#25.
So I'm off to see what chapter 25 is...
It's noon.
O.K. That was cool. It took two and a half hours to run through the first time, with a half hour of breaks.
I'm going to go through the chapter a second time.
Spent another hour and a half. 4 hours in total. The increase for the whole chapter was over 1000 words! Wow. Extend that over 39 chapters, and the book gets bigger fast.
I'm thinking I may try another chapter tonight, now that I've gotten a sense of it. But I want to be sure I'm refreshed, first.
Gave myself a couple hours off, then pulled a new number. #13.
Difficult chapter. The writing was all wrong -- passive and retro. Tried to activate it, move stuff around, cut some things. Works better probably.
Going to give it another pass.
I'm thinking of snoggling some beer tonight. See how that affects the rewriting process.
Worked another hour and a half. I think the chapter is much improved.
I do believe my little trick of working on chapters on a lottery basis is going to work.
It has to be done.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
How to tell if you're a radical.
Can you let it go? Let the other person have his or her opinion? Shrug it off? Talk politics without raising your voice or casting aspersions or calling names?
I don't talk politics at the store. Occasionally, by hints and by both of us carefully feeling our way, I'll realize that I have a compadre in the store and we'll relax and commiserate. No harm done.
Often, I'll go ahead and declare. "I'm a liberal democrat..." just as a warning that we're wandering into dangerous territory.
It's all right. You can disagree. Please let me disagree.
The world won't end, the country won't go up in flames -- it probably isn't the "worst" or the "best" and we'll just muddle through as usual.
Seriously, we're all Americans -- even us pinkie, commie, socialist bleeding heard liberals.
(Actually, I think I'm a pragmatic liberal.)
I don't talk politics at the store. Occasionally, by hints and by both of us carefully feeling our way, I'll realize that I have a compadre in the store and we'll relax and commiserate. No harm done.
Often, I'll go ahead and declare. "I'm a liberal democrat..." just as a warning that we're wandering into dangerous territory.
It's all right. You can disagree. Please let me disagree.
The world won't end, the country won't go up in flames -- it probably isn't the "worst" or the "best" and we'll just muddle through as usual.
Seriously, we're all Americans -- even us pinkie, commie, socialist bleeding heard liberals.
(Actually, I think I'm a pragmatic liberal.)
Friday, November 2, 2012
Oct. Store results.
We beat last year -- by a big 2%.
Up until last month, we'd beaten last year 14 months in a row. Last month was way down, however. This was due to the New 52 surge last year.
Since that surge continued on into October, I thought it might be difficult to beat last year, but we managed it.
November was really low last year, so we should be able to beat that.
December was high; so that might be more of problem.
After that, I think it will probably be more back and forth on the totals -- we'll be running up against good months from then on.
COMICS: -23%. This was expected, because of the outlier numbers from last year. About the same as the year before; which isn't actually all that good. I think the overall trends for comics aren't great, with the occasional gimmick or event pushing sales up instead of underlying strength.
(Comics + Graphic Novels) I do a mix of the two, which I haven't been listing in these reports, but think I'll start: -13%
CARDS: -60%. These numbers are small and easily influenced by a few sales.
CARD GAMES: +32%. The increase is nice and reflects the strength of the new Ravnica release. Even more encouraging considering how badly they were doing last month.
GAMES: +60%. Obviously very encouraging. Every year around this time I look at the game market and try to decide if another good Christmas is possible , or is the mass market making inroads? I've decided it looks strong enough to give it the full go.
BOOKS: +16%. While the overall trends in much of what I used to carry seems to be on a downslope or static, the books and games continue their steady rise. So glad I went there. These two categories run about 25% through most of the year, but at Christmas they can be as much as 40% of sales.
TOYS: +13%
GRAPHIC NOVELS: +6%.
Overall, I'm pretty encouraged.
Up until last month, we'd beaten last year 14 months in a row. Last month was way down, however. This was due to the New 52 surge last year.
Since that surge continued on into October, I thought it might be difficult to beat last year, but we managed it.
November was really low last year, so we should be able to beat that.
December was high; so that might be more of problem.
After that, I think it will probably be more back and forth on the totals -- we'll be running up against good months from then on.
COMICS: -23%. This was expected, because of the outlier numbers from last year. About the same as the year before; which isn't actually all that good. I think the overall trends for comics aren't great, with the occasional gimmick or event pushing sales up instead of underlying strength.
(Comics + Graphic Novels) I do a mix of the two, which I haven't been listing in these reports, but think I'll start: -13%
CARDS: -60%. These numbers are small and easily influenced by a few sales.
CARD GAMES: +32%. The increase is nice and reflects the strength of the new Ravnica release. Even more encouraging considering how badly they were doing last month.
GAMES: +60%. Obviously very encouraging. Every year around this time I look at the game market and try to decide if another good Christmas is possible , or is the mass market making inroads? I've decided it looks strong enough to give it the full go.
BOOKS: +16%. While the overall trends in much of what I used to carry seems to be on a downslope or static, the books and games continue their steady rise. So glad I went there. These two categories run about 25% through most of the year, but at Christmas they can be as much as 40% of sales.
TOYS: +13%
GRAPHIC NOVELS: +6%.
Overall, I'm pretty encouraged.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thursday thuds.
I had a jar of candy in the house that I wanted to get rid of by today, so I took it to work yesterday.
We have so few kids come to our house, that we've given up.
So anyway, around 4:00 yesterday, I started getting trick or treaters at the store. This has never happened before. Apparently I missed the memo.
I started running out, so I grabbed some FCBD comics and started handing those out. Every single kid but one preferred getting a comic to getting candy, which is pretty cool.
Anyway, it was really great to see the kids and their elaborate costumes. I'd forgotten how much fun that is, and the store really does seem to be the place to do it.
I'm mean, and I make them say, "Trick or Treat."
Had a little girl who just froze. Couldn't say it. Finally, I said, "You're just so cute, it's O.K."
Why the demurral, kids?
I hope this becomes a tradition.
**********
Handing my ballots in today, so the Dems can cross me off their list.
I was telling a customer, Kevin, yesterday that I was going to personally take my ballot in -- cause "I don't trust the mails."
"You're the third person to say that to me!" he said.
I really do trust the mail, but...well, just want to be absolutely sure.
There is a really good feeling about voting. I feel bad for those who are so cynical they don't.
**********
"GM Profit Better than Estimates." Bulletin, 11/1/12.
Make sure that gets broadcasted in Ohio.
Who would have thought the one thing -- a letter to the N.Y.T.'s by Romney, "Romney to Detroit: Drop Dead" (not actual title), would be the thing that might cost him the election.
A self-inflicted wound at that. Heh.
**********
Stupid dream. (Not counting the one where both a wolf and a bear are trying to eat me. Both!)
Anyway, I'm talking to a guy with a huge Australian outback accent.
"Here, Mate, you win this bet, and we'll do it your way. I win the bet, and I take you Down Under."
I'm thinking I can't lose. So I lose the bet.
A huge fissure opens under my feet; fire and brimstone.
"Hey, I thought you were going to take me to Australia!
"I said I'd take you "Down Under" he says, with an evil grin. "Whatever made you think I was Austrialian? HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
**********
I've always thought they should have Senator's Luke, Han, and Leia in the 7, 8 and 9th Star Wars movies; if only for a scene or two.
Make them old and fat and corrupt.
Shouldn't be too much of a stretch. (ah, that's mean.)
We have so few kids come to our house, that we've given up.
So anyway, around 4:00 yesterday, I started getting trick or treaters at the store. This has never happened before. Apparently I missed the memo.
I started running out, so I grabbed some FCBD comics and started handing those out. Every single kid but one preferred getting a comic to getting candy, which is pretty cool.
Anyway, it was really great to see the kids and their elaborate costumes. I'd forgotten how much fun that is, and the store really does seem to be the place to do it.
I'm mean, and I make them say, "Trick or Treat."
Had a little girl who just froze. Couldn't say it. Finally, I said, "You're just so cute, it's O.K."
Why the demurral, kids?
I hope this becomes a tradition.
**********
Handing my ballots in today, so the Dems can cross me off their list.
I was telling a customer, Kevin, yesterday that I was going to personally take my ballot in -- cause "I don't trust the mails."
"You're the third person to say that to me!" he said.
I really do trust the mail, but...well, just want to be absolutely sure.
There is a really good feeling about voting. I feel bad for those who are so cynical they don't.
**********
"GM Profit Better than Estimates." Bulletin, 11/1/12.
Make sure that gets broadcasted in Ohio.
Who would have thought the one thing -- a letter to the N.Y.T.'s by Romney, "Romney to Detroit: Drop Dead" (not actual title), would be the thing that might cost him the election.
A self-inflicted wound at that. Heh.
**********
Stupid dream. (Not counting the one where both a wolf and a bear are trying to eat me. Both!)
Anyway, I'm talking to a guy with a huge Australian outback accent.
"Here, Mate, you win this bet, and we'll do it your way. I win the bet, and I take you Down Under."
I'm thinking I can't lose. So I lose the bet.
A huge fissure opens under my feet; fire and brimstone.
"Hey, I thought you were going to take me to Australia!
"I said I'd take you "Down Under" he says, with an evil grin. "Whatever made you think I was Austrialian? HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
**********
I've always thought they should have Senator's Luke, Han, and Leia in the 7, 8 and 9th Star Wars movies; if only for a scene or two.
Make them old and fat and corrupt.
Shouldn't be too much of a stretch. (ah, that's mean.)
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